The Threat Of Article 13

There is something wrong on the internet. And the cause is in the European Union. Remember how annoying it was when every website you ever visited suddenly pop up a warning about cookies even though you were fully aware of it? That was the EU. Now they’ve decided to jump 10 spaces ahead and further control how things are posted on the internet not just in their area like some of the more power-mad countries, but rules that will affect every creative, especially video and music creators, around the world in the worst way possible.

Article 13, as currently written, allegedly is supposed to protect creators rights, but it will only protect the big companies. And the method they’re employing will essentially kill smaller and independent creators on YouTube and anywhere else on the internet. I’m posting a video from the YouTube channel The Closer Look that fully explains the problem and how the EU is locking far too many creators out of the internet. And even if you’re not a creator it will affect your entertainment choices as well.

I’m sure there are plenty of conspiracy theories one could make but it boils down to two problems. Old media fears the internet and old politicians fear anything new. That’s been the case at least since comics, and continues in any new music genre, video games, and of course the internet. This does affect my YouTube channel but it also affects blogs, which also targets this website. How many bloggers who discuss TV, movies, and music would see dead audio and video links? This would affect the Internet Archive, a site that collects abandoned media and archives old websites. This isn’t just targeting YouTube. Dailymotion, Facebook, Twitter, and even WordPress, this site’s host, would suffer the same problems, being sued for something they have no decent control over. That’s the great thing about the internet, and while there have been abuses (and will continue to be) there have been also great advances in media, where now anyone with the time and a half-decent computer can create and upload amazing content for everyone around the world, including Europe, to enjoy. But it challenges old media and they won’t have that. Publishers and studios refuse to alter their approach and will try to snuff the internet out they way they did VCRs. Only this time they have a willing government in the European Union, who are will to not only hurt their own people but the rest of the world as well.

And it worries me just what other influence the European Union will try to have not just on creative content but on other goods and services. The European Union is made of 28 countries in Europe, although I don’t know if Wikipedia remembered England got out of the EU. (Still think Brexit was a bad idea?) They may end up a greater threat than the Soviet Union when it comes to trade and other things in the future. Look how huge an influence Article 13 can be to the internet, a global resource that more tyrannical countries try to ban to keep information out of the hands of their people. If you don’t think they would push beyond that then you don’t understand governments and their control fetish. I’m not calling for an attack or sanctions or anything. I just want the EU to realize the potential threat they demonstrate, and for other countries to nip this before it gets worse.

Other countries do not recognize the US version of fair use. Ask let’s players what they’ve dealt with from Nintendo. Article 13 is like SOPA. They may (or allege to) have good intentions but the end result will hurt smaller creators while the big studios and publishers of old media get the free pass, and it will only hurt smaller creators. If you live in the EU please tell your representatives that this article will hurt creativity worldwide as well as in Europe and only help big media crush the smaller creators. That may not be the reps goal, but I’m betting it’s media’s.